FEATURED INTERVIEWS

Law school creates more than a few challenges. There are hours upon hours of studying, grueling hours interning at law firms, and financial bills that need to find a way to get paid. For many law students the adversity is…

Born in Dallas, Texas and now happily domiciled in Los Angeles, bass player Edwin Livingston could be described as being on the crest of a wave. His CD 'Transitions' was released in late 2010 and when recently I caught up…

A tall glass of cool water, when the sun is shining bright, is always a welcome treat, much like the new "Sensual Journey" CD from the tall glass of cool named Will Downing. The vocalist, who has been wowing us…

New Orleans trumpeter Nicholas Payton has never conformed to anyone or anything. Reading his Facebook posts and Twitter “tweets”, you sort of get an idea about how un-traditional he is. He speaks his mind and, should someone attempt to challenge…

The most recent issue of Jazziz magazine contained an article by Michelle Mercer entitled "The Fire Down Below." In the article Ms. Mercer writes about taking novice jazz listeners to see the Mingus Big Band and one woman’s surprised sexual arousal from the music. Ms. Mercer comes to the conclusion that listening a jazz show in a New York club today is "a singularly existential listening experience, so if you get your freak on there, it’s all yours." In plainspeak, you are probably the …

The mood in and around Calahan Funeral Home on the South side of Chicago was at once somber, respectful, and celebratory. Outside the funeral home people smoked cigarettes, adjusted their ties, and traded their funniest stories of the deceased with each other, nodding their heads to everyone entering the building. Inside, I approached one of the ushers, exchanged pleasantries, asked each other how we knew the deceased, and picked up a funeral program. I briefly glanced at the booklet, folded it …

The social and political climate has changed considerably in the time between Ozomatli’s 2001 long-player Embrace the Chaos and this year’s Street Signs, but to listen to guitarist/vocalist Raul "El Bully" Pacheco explain the band’s approach to music remains the same.

"This group’s existence is about freedom", Pacheco explained in a recent phone interview. "Musically and lyrically we have such a wide range of influences and styles that it’s important to find …

His voice is a gift from above to music aficionado’s everywhere- ranging from a ringing tenor to an impossibly high falsetto, cloaked in a vibrato that rises and falls like a dragonfly in the dog days of August. That this voice comes from such an imposing frame makes fans of the voice appreciate it even more. Such is the contradiction of Aaron Neville. You hear that voice, see it come from such a huge man and you turn your head for a bit wondering if that voice is really coming from him. …

It isn’t easy being a standard bearer. That adage is especially true when your peers seem to pass on suddenly. Such is the case with the legendary bandleader Eddie Palmieri. In the past few years the world of Latin Jazz and salsa have lost Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria, and most recently Cuban diva Celia Cruz. But Palmieri presses on, earning a Latin Grammy nomination for last year’s La Perfecta II and releasing his new album Ritmo Caliente (both on Concord Picante) this summer.

Sitting down for an interview with a musical icon can be a daunting task. But when that icon is McCoy Tyner, all nervousness melts once he answers the phone and introduces himself. Mr. Tyner’s graciousness and accommodation is even more impressive considering that when this writer phoned him, he had just completed inquiring about some lost luggage from a tour of Italy.

I had the chance to talk to Mr. Tyner about his upcoming Telarc release Land of Giants, which sees his working trio ( …

Jazz vocalist, musician, arranger and composer, Karrin Allyson (pronounced Cãr in) is one of those artists who can do it all. She can sing sassy, sensually, belt out a standard or coo a romantic love song. When she is not singing at the front of the stage, Allyson approaches the piano with the confident air, expectation, and professionalism that one has come to associate with other jazz greats, such as Diana Krall and Chick Corea. Allyson, who is fluent in French and sings beautifully in Port …

In the liner notes to his newest release on Telarc Records, My America, Jamaican-born pianist Monty Alexander expresses his love of his adopted country, "a land where dreams can come true." In the post-September 11th landscape it would be easy to assume the role of a cynic and accuse Alexander of capitalizing on the "don’t-tread-on-me" jingoism that has swept the country in the wake of the attacks. But that’s not Alexander’s intention with My America.

Claudia Acuña recently invited everyone to join her for a MAXJAZZ CD release party at Jazz at the Bistro in St. Louis from April 23-24, 2004. Recorded mostly in her native Spanish tongue, the songs Luna are vibrant tales of love and life. The clarity of vision and passionate interpretations are simply stunning. Please join us as Claudia Acuña tells JazzReview.com about this new album and her dreams for the future.